Johanna Schoenherr

Johanna Schoenherr & Stanislaw Schukajlow Funded by the German Research Foundation | 2024−2027 Mathematical modelling, the process of solving open real-world problems, is an essential component of mathematics education. However, many students struggle with solving modelling problems, prompting the question of how best to support them. In the first phase of the "ViMo" project, making a drawing emerged to be a promising strategy for enhancing modelling competencies, particularly in the field of geometry. However, it became evident that merely instructing students to create a drawing does not enable them to fully benefit from this strategy. The question of how to effectively promote drawing in the classroom remained unanswered. To address this, a second project phase, "ViMo 2," is set to start in 2024 under the leadership of Dr. Johanna Schönherr (University of Paderborn) in collaboration with Dr. Stanislaw Schukajlow (University of Münster). The project is supported with approximately half a million euros by the German Research Foundation (DFG), with a duration of three years. The primary objective of the research project is to examine the role of declarative and procedural strategic knowledge components, along with strategy-related motivation, in the creation of high-quality drawings and modeling performance. Four studies are planned for ninth-grade students in comprehensive schools in North Rhine-Westphalia. As an innovative instructional method, eye movement modeling instruction will be employed, and the eye movements of students will be recorded and analyzed. The outcomes of this project will not only contribute to theoretical insights but also hold practical significance for the teaching and learning of mathematics.